Improvement in seed-planters



1. T. GA R R. Seed-Pia n t er.

' Patented April 6,1875.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTOrLITH.39&4I PARK PLAGEJLY.

JAMES T. CARE, OF MILO, MAINE.

EMPROVEMENT IN SEED-PLANTERSL Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 6 1,664, dated April 6, 1875; application filed March 5, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. CARR, of Milo, in the county of Piscataquis, State of Maine, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Seed-Planters, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, formin g a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view, showing my improved planter with the plunger elevated, and Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view, showing the same with the plunger depressed.

Like letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawing.

My invention relates to that class of seedplanters which are designed to be used by hand 5 and consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

In the drawing, L represents a thin but rigid metallic plate, which is arranged horizontally, and provided at its rear side with two vertical projections or flanges, M M, preferably made integral with the plate, and designed as coverers for the seed. Near the ends of this plate are two circular vertical openings, connected by the longitudinal slot 00, through which the plunger E works, and in these openings are firmly fitted the seed-hoppers H, which are elongated by the metallic casings a a, to form the body of the planter, the casings being connected at their upper ends by the cross-bar B, and provided with the stopples It. That portion of the seed-hopper H which extends through the plate L is preferably composed of wood, and made in two sections, being divided vertically from front to rear, and inserted through the plate from the lower side, the easing a being constructed to fit closely over the part which projects above the plate, and secured thereto by screws, or in any convenient manner. The two sections of the hopper H,

thus formed, are grooved or channeled on their contiguous faces, as shown at n n, or in such a manner that when inserted properly in the plate L a longitudinal central opening is formed, through which the seed passes to the ground. The casings a to extend downwardly, over the hoppers H, to the top of the plate L, and through both the casings and the hoppers are corresponding lateral slots b b, in which the seed-slide G is disposed, in parallelism with the plate. This slide is provided with vertical openings P Within the hoppers, and with a central slot, D, and receives reciprocating rectilinear movements by means of the diagonal slot F and pin 2, as the plunger E is worked vertically by means of the handle J. The plunger is bifurcated below the slide 0, and provided with the feet or trowels G, the legs of the plunger working in lateral slots t in the hoppers H. The lower part of the hoppers H are conical in form, and attached thereto are hollow metallic casings, forming the teeth or drills I, having openings (not shown) at their lower ends, through which the feet G project when the plunger E is fully depressed, the feet being fitted to Work nicely in the openin gs, and thus prevent foreign substances from entering the hoppers.

In the use of my improved planter the seed is placed in the hoppers, and secured by the stopples 7c. The handle J is then taken in the hand, being so held as to bring the flanges or ooverers M farthest from the person of the operator, and the planter thrust downwardly with a quick forcible movement, bringing the ooverers M and conical teeth I against the ground. The downward movement of the body of the planter being thus retarded, the feet G of the plunger E will be forced through the openings in the lower ends of the teeth, and, as the plunger continues to advance, the slide E will be moved laterally, permitting a portion of the seed in the upper part 0 of the hopper H to pass below the slide through the opening P, the quantity thus passing being gaged or graduated by the elastic scraper m. The upper end of the slot F now coming into contact with the pin 2, the teeth I and ooverers M will be forced downwardly until the plate L is brought into contact with the ground, when the plunger being again elevated or drawn up by the handle J, the movements of the slide will be reversed, the feet G withdrawn, and the seed permitted to pass through the openings in the lower end of the teeth into the hill, in a manner which will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters without a more explicit description. The covering of the seed is effected by the flanges M M as the implement is withdrawn from the ground, the operator at the same time advancing from hill to hill, causing the flanges to be inclined as they are withdrawn, and thus crowding or pressing the soil laterally into the openings made by the teeth.

I am aware that hand-planters have been used having reciprocating seed-slides operated laterally by means of the plunger, and do not claim the same, broadly; but

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim isa The improved hand seed-planter described, consisting of the plate L, provided with the coverers'M, the bifurcated plunger E, having feet G and handle J, the slotted hoppers H Within the casings a, and the slide 0, having the openings P, the whole being constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JAMES T. CARR. [L. S.]

Witnesses M. L. DURGIN, J. H. MAcoMBER, Jr. 

